Bush plans to redeploy troops

• Article
• Comments ()
• Click-2-Listen

By

CINCINNATI -- President Bush yesterday announced the withdrawal of up to 70,000 U.S. troops from Europe and Asia during the next decade in the most comprehensive repositioning of American forces in nearly half a century.

"The world has changed a great deal and our posture must change with it," Mr. Bush said at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. "We'll deploy a more agile and more flexible force, which means that more of our troops will be stationed and deployed from here at home."

The plan calls for the closing of hundreds of U.S. bases in Europe and Asia, the redeployment of between 60,000 and 70,000 uniformed military members, and the withdrawal of 100,000 family members and civilian employees.

Although there will be no immediate impact on American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, the repositioning will eventually allow easier troop deployment to the Middle East, which has become the focus of the president's national security strategy since September 11, 2001.

"We'll move some of our troops and capabilities to new locations so they can surge quickly to deal with unexpected threats," Mr. Bush said. "We'll take advantage of 21st-century military technologies to rapidly deploy increased combat power."

The plan was quickly denounced by Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign, which dispatched retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark to say it "will significantly undermine U.S. national security."

"This is an ill-conceived move, and its timing seems politically motivated rather than designed to strengthen our national security," Gen. Clark told reporters on a conference call. "And, frankly, this redeployment will do nothing to ease the strain on our overstretched military forces."

Mr. Bush disagreed.

"Our service members will have more time on the home front and more predictability and fewer moves over a career," he said. "Our military spouses will have fewer job changes, greater stability, more time for their kids and to spend time with their families at home."

The president said the positioning of U.S. forces across the globe reflects an outdated national security strategy.